Tory MP blasts eco-hypocrites as Sunak scales back ‘damaging’ net zero plans: ‘Wrong on their own terms!’
John Redwood has hit out at eco-hypocrites
GB NEWS / PA
Tory MP John Redwood has praised Rishi Sunak’s decision to water down “damaging” net zero plans, arguing many of the ideas would have proven to be counterproductive.
Redwood told GB News that many of his colleagues who have reacted with fury to Sunak’s U-turn are “wrong in their own terms”.
In a speech from Downing Street on Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced that the Government are putting back a ban on new fossil fuel cars by five years as well as a raft of other changes.
He also weakened plans to strip out polluting gas and oil boilers while scrapping policies forcing landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW BELOW
Sunak has faced criticism from Tory colleagues such as Boris Johnson who warned Sunak must not “falter” on climate crisis initiatives, arguing that heaping uncertainty on businesses could drive up prices for British families.
Speaking on GB News, John Redwood said many of Sunak’s critics fail to practice what they preach.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
“The very least people should do when they’re telling other people how to live is to show that they’re doing it themselves and it works well”, he told Patrick Christys.
“It speaks volumes that when so many of these people telling us to get an electric car and a heat pump haven’t done so themselves.
“I’ve been telling them that they’re wrong in their own terms. If you or I did go out and buy an electric car and plugged it in tonight, they would have had to have burned more gas in the petrol station to recharge it.
“How is that doing us good in the road to net zero?”
Patrick Christys and John Redwood react to Rishi Sunak's latest U-turn
GB NEWS
Prominent Tory environmentalist Lord Zac Goldsmith added his name to the list of critics, dubbing the move an “economically and ecologically illiterate decision”.
The peer launched a scathing attack on Sunak’s environmental “apathy”, branding it a “moment of shame” for the UK.
The car industry has also reacted angrily to Sunak’s decision, with Ford warning that delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles will “undermine” its needs from the Government.
Despite Sunak’s decision garnering a host of critics, Redwood believes the Prime Minister’s move will resonate with alienated Tory voters.
Rishi Sunak has been facing increased pressure over how he plans to deal with net zero REUTERS“I think it’s helpful”, he said on GB News.
“The Conservative voters who have been playing hard to get are the type of people who do not want to be lectured on what to buy.
“Many of them don’t have the money to buy these fancy things that net zero enthusiasts are recommending.
“We’ve got time, there needs to be better technology and more affordable products that people want to buy because they’re better, cheaper and do the job.”
Sunak defended his measures by suggesting “this is about doing what’s right for the country in the long term”.
The MP for Wokingham added that he believes the policies are “damaging”, and suggestions that Britain is abandoning its “world leading” status on climate change are wide of the mark.
He said: “I don’t believe it’s world leading to cripple your own economy and increase world CO2 by adopting foolish policies.
“I don’t believe we get any credit for doing that.”
Polling has suggested Britons support measures to tackle climate change – but the balance shifts when asked their opinion if such actions dealt a blow to their personal finances.